Liquid crystal display apparatus having level conversion circuit

ABSTRACT

A liquid crystal display apparatus having a level conversion circuit in which a high speed operation can be attained and also a small transistor capacity can be obtained is provided. In the liquid crystal display apparatus, a signal circuit for driving pixel elements of a display unit and a scanning circuit are provided. The level conversion circuit is constituted of a first and a second transistors  111  and  112  in which a respective gate electrodes is connected to a first bias voltage power supply, and a third and a fourth transistors  121  and  122  in which a respective gate electrodes is connected to a second bias voltage power supply and a respective source electrodes is connected to a power supply.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display apparatus having a level conversion circuit in which a signal having a low voltage amplitude is converted to a signal having a high voltage amplitude and in particular to relates to a level conversion circuit in a clock interface and a data interface of a liquid crystal display apparatus using thin-film transistors (TFT: Thin-Film Transistor).

[0002] A level conversion circuit used in a clock interface and a data interface of a liquid crystal display apparatus is described in, for example JP-A 6-216753 and JP-A 6-283979, etc.. In the level conversion circuit shown in these prior arts, a thin-film transistor having a multi-crystallization silicon and a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS: Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) having a mono-crystallization silicon are employed. In the above stated level conversion circuit, an input signal having a low voltage amplitude is converted to an output signal having a high voltage amplitude for use in a drive circuit for the liquid crystal display apparatus.

[0003] The above stated input signal has, for example, the voltage amplitude of 5 V or 3.3 V which is used in a common use LSI. Further, the above stated output signal has, for example, the voltage amplitude of 12 V or 15 V which corresponds to a power supply voltage of an interior circuit of the level conversion circuit.

[0004] As this level conversion circuit, there are a differential input type level conversion circuit which input a mutually reverse phase signal and a single phase input type level conversion circuit which input an independent signal. The differential input type level conversion circuit is used for in a comparative high speed operation clock interface and the single phase input type level conversion circuit is used for in a data interface.

[0005]FIG. 9 shows an example of the differential input type level conversion circuit described in JP-A 6-216753. This level conversion circuit 800 in the prior art is constituted by a pair of input transistors 811 and 812, a pair of load transistors 813 and 814, a pair of constant current power supplies 815 and 816, and a pair of level shift transistors 817 and 818.

[0006] The respective input transistors 811 and 812 and the respective level shift transistors 817 and 818 is a N type TFT. The respective load transistors 813 and 814 is a P type TFT. In the level shift transistors 817 and 818, a drain electrode and a gate electrode are connected each other and a respective source electrodes is connected to input terminals VIN1 and VIN2. Further, to a connection point of the drain electrode and the gate electrode, the constant current power supplies 815 and 816 and the gate electrodes of the input transistors 811 and 812 are connected.

[0007] The respective source electrodes of the input transistors 811 and 812 is connected to a ground and the respective drain electrodes of the input transistors 811 and 812 is connected to the respective output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2. The respective drain electrodes of the load transistors 813 and 814 is connected respectively to output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2. The respective gate electrodes of the load transistors 813 and 814 are respectively to the output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2. The respective source electrodes of the load transistors 813 and 814 is connected to a power supply VDD.

[0008] To the level conversion circuit 800 connected with the above manner, the signals at the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 which have mutually the reverse phase are supplied. Herein, it will be explained, as the operation state of the level conversion circuit 800, on the assumption that each the voltages which are inputted to the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 is 3.3 V and 0 V, the voltage of the power supply VDD is 15 V, and a threshold voltage of the respective N type transistors is 2 V.

[0009] Since each of the level shift transistors 817 and 818 operates to heighten respectively the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 with the threshold voltage part, the voltages of 5.3 V and 2 V are applied respectively to gate electrodes of the input transistors 811 and 812. As a result, the input transistor 811 presents a continuity state and the input transistor 812 presents a non-continuity state, respectively, and then the voltage of the output terminal VOUT1 becomes 0 V.

[0010] Since this output terminal VOUT1 is connected to the gate electrode of the load transistor 814, the load transistor 814 presents a continuity state and then the voltage of the output terminal VOUT2 becomes 15 V. Further, since the load transistor 814 in which the gate electrode of the load transistor 814 is connected to the output terminal VOUT2 becomes a non-conductive state, then the output terminal VOUT1 maintains the voltage of 0 V.

[0011] Next, from the above stated state, the operation wherein the voltages of the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 change respectively to 0 V and 3.3 V will be explained. When the voltages of the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 change respectively to 0 V and 3.3 V, the input transistor 811 presents the conductive state but the input transistor 812 presents a non-conductive state, respectively.

[0012] In this time, since the load transistor 814 which is connected to the drain electrode of the input transistor 812 becoming the conductive state presents the conductive state, when the resistances at the conductive states of the input transistor 812 and the load transistor 814 are expressed by RON2 and RON4, the voltage VOUT2 of the output terminal VOUT2 at the time in which the voltage of the input terminal changes is expressed by a following formula 1.

VOUT 2=RON 2/(RON 2+RON 4)×VDD  (1)

[0013] As understood from the above stated formula 1, the voltage of the output terminal VOUT2 at the time in which the voltage of the input terminal changes is determined by a divided voltage ratio between the resistors RON2 and RON4. With the above stated voltage, the load transistor 813 presents the conductive state and the voltage of the output terminal VOUT1 changes to 15 V. Since the voltage of the output terminal VOUT1 changes to 15 V, the resistance of the load transistor 814 increases, and finally the load transistor 814 presents a non-conductive state. As a result, the voltage of the output terminal VOUT2 becomes 0 V.

[0014] Herein, to shorten the time where from the conductive state of the input transistor 812 to the voltage of the output terminal VOUT2 becomes 0 V, the voltage of the output terminal VOUT2 is necessary to approach 0 V as soon as possible by making small the resistor RON2 in the formula 1.

[0015] On the other hand, in the single phase input type level conversion circuit, one manner is employed using the differential input type level conversion circuit explained in above, the single signal is inputted to one input terminal and the voltage having {fraction (1/2)} of the single phase input amplitude is supplied to another input terminal or another manner is employed using the differential input type level conversion circuit explained in above, the single signal is inputted to one input terminal and the single phase input amplitude is supplied to another input terminal by reversing the single phase signal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] When the voltage between the drain electrode and the source electrode is constant, the drain current of TFT or MOS transistor changes in proportion to a square of an effective gate voltage VE which is a difference between a gate voltage and a threshold voltage Vth. Since the resistor RON such as RON2 and RON4 under the above stated conductive state is in inverse proportion to this drain current, the gate voltage increases abruptly at a vicinity of the threshold voltage Vth.

[0017] In the case of the above stated level conversion circuit 800 stated in above, the drive condition of the gate voltages of the input transistors 811 and 812 corresponds that a voltage Vg1 between the gate electrode and the drain electrode is 2 V and a voltage Vg2 between the gate electrode and the drain electrode is 5.3 V.

[0018] To obtain the resistance under the conductive state necessary for in the voltage Vg2 having 5.3 V, it is necessary to make large a size of the input transistor. When the size of the input transistor is made large, a capacity of the input terminal increases and also a capacity between the gate electrode and the drain electrode increases.

[0019] Further, since the input transistors 811 and 812 of the level conversion circuit 800 shown in FIG. 9 constitute a source ground type amplification circuit, the capacity between the gate electrode and the drain electrode is made large equivalently with a magnification part of an amplification by a miller effect. The increase in the equivalent load capacity becomes an obstacle to perform the high speed operation.

[0020] Further, the conventional single phase input type level conversion circuit is more complicated in comparison with the differential input type level conversion circuit. This means, for example, when the single phase input type level conversion circuit is tried to apply to a digital type liquid crystal display apparatus which is operated by an image signal having a digital signal, it becomes a large obstacle.

[0021] When the image is sent by the digital signal, a data number thereof depends on a number of color (a number of gray level) with the image signal, a pixel element number of the liquid crystal display apparatus, a frame frequency, and an operation frequency of the level conversion circuit. For example, in a case where the number of color (number of gray level) is 8 bits, the pixel element number is 1280×1024, the frame frequency is 60 Hz, and the operation frequency is 20 MHz, accordingly the input data number is about 32 numbers.

[0022] An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display apparatus wherein a level conversion circuit enable to carry out a high speed operation in the liquid crystal display apparatus.

[0023] Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display apparatus wherein a level conversion circuit can be constituted a small transistor capacity in the liquid crystal display apparatus.

[0024] According to the present invention, the above stated objects can be solved that in a liquid crystal display apparatus, a level conversion circuit is provided to a signal circuit for driving the pixel elements of a display unit and a scanning circuit, the level conversion circuit is constituted of a first transistor and a second transistor in which a respective gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor is connected to a first bias voltage power supply, and a third transistor and a fourth transistor in which a respective gate electrodes of the third transistor and the fourth transistor is connected to a second bias voltage power supply and a respective drain electrodes of the third transistor and the fourth transistor is connected to a power supply.

[0025] A respective drain electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor is connected to a respective drain electrodes of the third transistor and the fourth transistor each other, a signal having a mutually different polarity and having a low amplitude is inputted to the respective source electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor, and from the drain electrode of the first transistor and the respective drain electrode of the first transistor and the second transistor, a signal having a mutually different polarity and having a high amplitude is taken out.

[0026] In the present invention, an output voltage is determined in accordance with a resistance ratio between the drain electrode and the source electrode of the first transistor and the second transistor in which a respective gate electrodes is biased by the first bias voltage power supply and the third transistor and the fourth transistor in which a respective gate electrodes is biased by the second bias voltage power supply.

[0027] Herein, a third resistor and a fourth resistor can be made large within an allowable range of an operation speed. Further, since the respective gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor is biased to the fixed voltage, a capacity between the drain electrode and the source electrode is not depended on an amplification rate of the first transistor and the second transistor. As a result, the level conversion circuit according to the present invention can be operated with a high speed and a size of the transistor can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028]FIG. 1 is a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a first embodiment according to the present invention;

[0029]FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an operation of the level conversion circuit in the liquid crystal display apparatus according to the present invention;

[0030]FIG. 3 is a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a second embodiment according to the present invention;

[0031]FIG. 4 is a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a third embodiment according to the present invention;

[0032]FIG. 5 is a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a fourth embodiment according to the present invention;

[0033]FIG. 6 is a circuitry construction view showing a multi-input type level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention;

[0034]FIG. 7 is a circuitry construction view showing a logic input circuit of one embodiment to which the level conversion circuit according to the present invention is applied;

[0035]FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a liquid crystal display apparatus according to the present invention; and

[0036]FIG. 9 is a circuitry construction view showing a differential input type level conversion circuit according to the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] Hereinafter, a liquid crystal display apparatus having a level conversion circuit of one embodiment according to the present invention will be explained referring to the drawings.

[0038]FIG. 1 shows a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a first embodiment according to the present invention. The level conversion circuit in the liquid crystal display apparatus of the first embodiment according to the present invention is constituted of a level conversion unit 100 and a wave-form shaping unit 200.

[0039] The level conversion unit 100 is constituted of input transistors 111 and 112, load transistors 121 and 122, and bias use transistors 131 and 132. In the input transistors 111 and 112, a respective gate electrode of the respective input transistors 111 and 112 is connected to a bias power supply VBIAS, a respective source electrode of the respective input transistors 111 and 112 is connected to input terminals VIN1 and VIN2, and a respective drain electrode of the respective input transistors 111 and 112 is connected to outputs Vo1 and Vo2, respectively.

[0040] In the load transistors 121 and 122, a respective gate electrode of the respective load transistors 121 and 122 is connected commonly to a bias use transistor 132, a respective source electrode of the respective load transistors 121 and 122 is connected to a power supply VDD, and a respective drain electrode of the respective load transistors 121 and 122 is connected to the outputs Vo1 and Vo2, respectively.

[0041] In the bias use transistor 131, a gate electrode of the bias use transistor 131 is connected to the bias power supply VBIAS, a source electrode of the bias use transistor 131 is connected to a ground point, and a drain electrode of the bias use transistor 131 is connected to the gate electrode and the drain electrode of the bias use transistor 132. Herein, the bias use transistor 132 and the load transistors 121 and 122 constitutes so called a current-miller circuit.

[0042] On the other hand, the wave-form shaping unit 200 is constituted of input transistors 213 and 214, and load transistors 211 and 212. Each of the input transistors 213 and 214 employs a P-type transistor and further each of the load transistors 211 and 212 employs a N-type transistor. In comparison with the circuitry construction shown in the above stated level conversion circuit 800 according to the prior art, this circuitry construction of the first embodiment according to the present invention differs from that a conductive type of the transistor is reversal and an input is a high voltage amplitude. However, this circuitry construction of the first embodiment according to the present invention is equivalent to the level conversion circuit 800 according to the prior art.

[0043] To the respective gate electrodes of a pair of the input transistors 111 and 112 of the level conversion unit 100 connected in above, the signals VIN1 and VIN2 are supplied, such signals VIN1 and VIN2 have mutually the reverse phase. The signal levels of these signals VIN1 and VIN2 have voltages having a low amplitude of, for example, 0 V and 3.3 V and a voltage of the power supply VDD has a voltage of 15 V, a voltage of the bias power supply VBIAS has a voltage which exceeds over the maximum voltage of the input signals VIN1 and VIN2 and is 5.3 V, for example.

[0044] The operation of the level conversion circuit having the above stated conditions in the liquid crystal display apparatus of the first embodiment according to the present invention will be explained referring to FIG. 2. Herein, a response of the output Vo1 against to the input signal VIN1 is shown. When the input signals VIN1 and VIN2 are 0 V and 3.3 V, the voltages VgsL and VgsH between the gate electrode and the source electrode of the input transistor 111 are 5.3 V and 2 V, respectively.

[0045] Since the resistance values RdsL and RdsH between the gate electrode and the source electrode of the input transistor 111 which corresponds to the above stated voltages form to be RdsL<RdsH, the output voltage Vo1 has a relationship of the same phase to the input signal VIN1. A high level output voltage VOH (the input transistor 111 is the non-conductive state) and a low level output VOL (the input transistor 111 is the conductive state) of the output voltage Vo1 of this time becomes a divided voltage between a resistance value RL1 between the drain electrode and the source electrode of the load transistor 121 and the resistance value RdsL or RdsH between the drain electrode and the source electrode of the input transistor 111. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the high level output voltage VOH slips off a little from the power supply voltage VDD or the low level output VOL slips off a little from the voltage of 0 V.

[0046] A response of the output voltage Vo2 against to the input signal VIN2 is not shown in figure but such a response of the output voltage Vo2 has a relationship of the reverse phase of the response of the input signal VIN1. Namely, a relationship between the input signals VIN1 and VIN2 of the level conversion unit 100 and the output voltages Vo1 and Vo2 of the level conversion unit 100 has the same phase. As a result, the output voltage Vo1 slips off a little from the power supply voltage VDD or the output voltage Vo2 slips off a little from 0 V.

[0047] Next, as stated in above, the wave-form shaping unit 200 is constituted of the input transistors 213 and 214, and the load transistors 211 and 212. The respective input transistors 213 and 214 is a P-type TFT and the respective load transistors 211 and 212 is a N-type TFT. The respective gate electrodes of the input transistors 213 and 214 is connected to the respective output terminals Vo1 and Vo2 of the level conversion circuit 100, respectively, the respective drain electrodes of the input transistors 213 and 214 is connected to the output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2, respectively, and further the respective source electrodes of the input transistors 213 and 214 is connected to the power supply voltage VDD, respectively.

[0048] Further, the respective drain electrode of the load transistors 211 and 212 is connected to respective the output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2, respectively, the respective gate electrodes of the load transistors 211 and 212 is connected to the output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2, respectively, and further the respective source electrode of the load transistors 211 and 212 is connected to the ground point, respectively.

[0049] The wave-form shaping unit 200 as connected in above has a different unit which differs from the conductive type transistor constituted by the input transistors 811 and 812 and the load transistors 813 and 814 according to the prior art but this wave-form shaping unit 200 is equivalent to the above stated circuit according to the prior art.

[0050] The different circuitry construction of this first embodiment according to the present invention in comparison with the circuitry construction shown in FIG. 9 is as following, namely the input signal is amplified in the level conversion unit 100 and has a substantially equal amplitude to the power supply voltage. As a result, it is unnecessary to make large the size the transistor which is a problem in the prior art and then it is possible to carry out the high speed operation.

[0051] Entering into details, in the level conversion circuit for use in the liquid crystal display apparatus of this first embodiment according to the present invention, using the bias use power supply VBIAS, the gate voltage for applying the input transistors 111 and 112 is controlled in accordance with the voltage of the bias power supply VBIAS. With the above stated reasons, it is possible to make the high current the drain current operation points of the input transistors 111 and 112 and the drain current operation points of the load transistors 121 and 122 and it is possible to carry out the high speed operation.

[0052] Further, since the relationship between the input and the output is the same phase, it can be prevented the increase in the capacity according to the miller effect and with this point it is possible to carry out the high speed operation.

[0053] In the level conversion circuit for use in the liquid crystal display apparatus of this first embodiment according to the present invention, since the level conversion circuit is constituted of only the transistors, it has a merit that the level conversion circuit can be manufactured easily.

[0054] Further, in the level conversion circuit for use in the liquid crystal display apparatus of this first embodiment according to the present invention, the bias use transistor 131 and the input transistors 111 and 112 are constituted mutually of the N-type transistor and the currents of the load transistors 121 and 122 are controlled in accordance with the bias use transistor 132 and the output voltage is generated through this current and the resistances of the input transistors 111 and 112.

[0055] As a result, the fluctuation of the output voltage against to the fluctuation of the characteristic of the transistor can be restrained and there is a merit the yield in the manufacturing can be heightened.

[0056]FIG. 3 shows a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a second embodiment according to the present invention. This second embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIG. 3 differs from the first embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 and the different construction is a wave-form shaping unit 200 shown in FIG. 3.

[0057] The wave-form shaping unit 200 of this second embodiment according to the present invention is constituted of N-type load transistors 221 and 222 and P-type input transistors 223 and 224. The respective source electrodes of the N-type load transistors 221 and 222 is grounded, the respective gate electrodes of the load transistors 221 and 222 is connected to the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2, and the respective drain electrodes of the load transistors 221 and 222 is connected to the respective drain electrodes of the P-type input transistors 223 and 224, respectively.

[0058] The respective source electrodes of the P-type input transistors 223 and 224 is connected to the power supply VDD and the respective gate electrodes of the input transistors 223 and 224 is connected to the outputs Vo1 and Vo2 of the level conversion unit 100, respectively.

[0059] The operation of the wave-form shaping unit 200 constituted in above will be explained. As one example of the operation condition, when the voltages of the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 are respectively 3.3 V and 0 V, the voltage of the power supply VDD is 15 V. and the voltage of the bias power supply is 5.3 V. In this case, to the gate electrodes of the N-type load transistors 221 and 222 the voltages of 3.3 V and 0 V are applied respectively, and the load transistors 221 presents the conductive state and the load transistor 222 presents the non-conductive state.

[0060] On the other hand, to the gate electrodes of the P-type input transistors 223 and 224 to which the output of the level conversion unit 100 is inputted, since the voltages of a substantial 15 V and a substantial 0 V are inputted, the load transistor 221 presents the conductive state and the load transistor 222 presents the non-conductive state.

[0061] As a result, the output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2 become respectively 0 V and 15 V, the low amplitude voltage signals having 3.3 V and 0 V are converted to the high amplitude voltage signals having 0 V and 15 V.

[0062] According to the level conversion circuit in the liquid crystal display apparatus of the second embodiment according to the present invention, since each of the gate electrodes of the N-type load transistors and the gate electrodes of the P-type input transistors constituting the wave-form shaping unit 200 is controlled independently 0.5 V and 15 V as a standard, there is a merit in which the level conversion circuit can be operated suitably against to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage VDD.

[0063]FIG. 4 shows a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a third embodiment according to the present invention. This third embodiment shown according to the present invention in FIG. 4 differs from the first embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 and the different construction is the wave-form shaping unit 200.

[0064] The wave-form shaping unit 200 of this third embodiment according to the present invention is constituted of N-type load transistors 231 and 232 and P-type input transistors 233 and 234. Each of the N-type load transistor 231 and the P-type input transistor 233 and each of the N-type load transistor 232 and the P-type input transistor 234 constitutes respectively an inverter circuit.

[0065] The operation of the wave-form shaping unit 200 constituted in above will be explained. As one example of the operation condition, the voltages of the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 are respectively 3.3 V and 0 V, the voltage of the power supply VDD is 15 V and the voltage of the bias power supply is 5.3 V. In this case, the respective input transistors 111 and 112 presents respectively the conductive state and the non-conductive state, and the output voltages Vo1 and Vo2 of the level conversion circuit 100 are substantial 15 V and substantial 0 V. Since these voltages of the output voltages are carried out the wave-form shaping and are amplified in the inverter circuit, the voltages of the output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2 become respectively 0 V and 15 V.

[0066] According to the level conversion circuit 100 in the liquid crystal display apparatus of this third embodiment according to the present invention, the low amplitude voltage signals having 3.3 V and 0 V which are supplied to the input terminals can be converted to the high amplitude voltage signals having 0 V and 15 V.

[0067]FIG. 5 shows a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a fourth embodiment according to the present invention. This fourth embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIG. 5 differs from the first embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 and the different construction is the level conversion unit 100. The level conversion unit 100 of this fourth embodiment according to the present invention is constituted of resistors 141 and 142 in place of the load transistors 121 and 112 which are described in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0068] The operation of the level conversion unit 100 constituted in the above fourth embodiment according to the present invention will be explained. As one example of the operation condition, the voltages of the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 are respectively 3.3 V and 0 V, the voltage of the power supply VDD is 15 V and the voltage of the bias power supply is 5.3 V. In this case, the respective input transistors 111 and 112 presents respectively the conductive state and the non-conductive state.

[0069] As a result, the output voltages Vo1 and Vo2 of the level conversion circuit 100 are a substantial 15 V and a substantial 0 V. Since these output voltages are carried out the wave-form shaping in the wave-form shaping unit 200, the voltages of the output terminals VOUT1 and VOUT2 become respectively 0 V and 15 V.

[0070] According to the level conversion circuit 100 in the liquid crystal display apparatus of this fourth embodiment according to the present invention, the low amplitude voltage signals having 3.3 V and 0 V which are supplied to the input terminals VIN1 and VIN2 can be converted to the high amplitude voltage signals having 0 V and 15 V.

[0071]FIG. 6 shows a circuitry construction view showing a level conversion circuit in a liquid crystal display apparatus of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention and shows a multi-input type level conversion circuit. The level conversion circuit of this fifth embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIG. 6 is one in which the level conversion unit of the second embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIG. 3 is formed with a multi-input type level conversion circuit.

[0072] A level conversion circuit 500 of this fifth embodiment according to the present invention is constituted of a N number input transistors 511-51N, a N number load transistors 521-52N and bias use transistors 531 and 541. The respective source electrodes of the input transistors 511-51N is connected to a N number input terminals V11-VI(N) and the respective drain electrodes of the input transistors 511-51N is connected to the respective drain electrodes of the N number load transistors 521-52N and to a N number output terminals Vo1-VO(N).

[0073] In the level conversion circuit 500 of this fifth embodiment according to the present invention, by adding two transistors of the input transistor and the load transistor to the level conversion circuit 500 an effect in which the input number can be increased.

[0074]FIG. 7 shows one embodiment of a logic input circuit to which the level conversion circuit according to the present invention is adopted. The logic input circuit of this embodiment according to the present invention is constituted of the differential input type level conversion circuit 100, the multi-input type level conversion circuit 500, and a latch circuit unit 600 comprised of a N number latch circuits 611-61(N).

[0075] Herein, in the differential input type level conversion circuit 100, differential clock signals CK1 and CK2 having the low voltage amplitude are inputted and differential clock signals which are converted to the high voltage amplitude are outputted to the latch circuits 611-61N. In the multi-input type level conversion circuit 500, a N number data signals D1-D(N) having the low voltage amplitude are inputted and the data signals D1-D(N) which are converted to the high voltage amplitude are outputted to the respective latch circuits 611-61N.

[0076] In the respective latch circuits of the latch circuit unit 600, a clock signal having the high voltage amplitude and a data signal having the high voltage amplitude are inputted and the respective latch circuits is operated, and then a N number latch data O1-O(N) are outputted.

[0077]FIG. 8 is a system construction example showing a liquid crystal display apparatus of one embodiment according to the present invention. This system of the liquid crystal display apparatus is constituted of an image signal generation apparatus 80, an image signal processing circuit 60, a timing control circuit 70, and a liquid crystal display panel 10.

[0078] Herein, the liquid crystal display panel 10 is constituted of a display unit 20 which is comprised of a plural pixel elements arranged with a matrix form, a signal circuit 30 and a scanning circuit 40 for driving these pixel elements, a differential input type level conversion circuit 700, a multi-input type level conversion circuits 500 a and 500 b, and a data latch circuit 600.

[0079] Among these construction elements, the differential input type level conversion circuit 700 is constituted of the level conversion unit 100 and the wave-form shaping unit 200 which are explained as from the first embodiment to the fourth embodiment according to the present invention. The multi-input type level conversion circuits 500 a and 500 b correspond to the multi-input type level conversion circuit 500 which is explained as the fifth embodiment according to the present invention and further the data latch circuit 600 corresponds to the latch circuit unit 600 shown in FIG. 7, respectively.

[0080] The operation of the system of the liquid crystal display apparatus constituted in above will be explained. In the image signal generation apparatus 80, an image signal 81 is outputted to the image signal conversion circuit 60, and a clock signal 85, a horizontal synchronization signal 86 and a vertical synchronization signal 87 are inputted to the timing control circuit 70, respectively.

[0081] In the image signal conversion circuit 60, a signal frequency of the inputted image signal 81 is lowered according to a serial-parallel conversion processing, and a n-parallel image signals D1-Dn are formed, and further these image signals D1-Dn are outputted to the multi-input type level conversion circuit 500 a of the liquid crystal display panel 10. These image signals D1-Dn are converted to the high amplitude signals according to the multi-input type level conversion circuit 500 a and are stored into the data latch circuit 600. The data latch circuit 600 output these stored vidual signals having the high amplitude HD1-HDn into the signal circuit 30.

[0082] On the other hand, in the timing control circuit 70, in accordance with the inputted clock signal 85, the inputted horizontal synchronization signal 86 and the inputted vertical synchronization signal 87, a clock signal 71 for taking into the image signals D1-Dn is outputted to the differential input type level conversion circuit 700 of the liquid crystal display panel 10 and further control signals 72-75 and the scanning circuit 40 for driving the signal circuit 30 are outputted into the multi-input type level conversion circuit 500 b of the liquid crystal display panel 10.

[0083] The differential input type level conversion circuit 700 converts the clock signal 71 to the high amplitude clock signal and output the converted clock signal to the data latch circuit 600. The multi-input type level conversion circuit 500 b converts the control signals 72-75 to the amplitude signals and a clock signal HCK for controlling the signal circuit 30, a start signal HST, a clock signal VCK for controlling the scanning circuit 40, and a start signal VST are outputted. The display unit 20 is controlled in accordance with the outputs of the signal circuit 20 and the scanning circuit 40 and displays the images which correspond to the image signals D1-Dn.

[0084] In the liquid crystal display apparatus constituted in above, the level conversion circuit comprised of the level conversion unit 100 and the wave-form shaping unit 200 which are shown in from the first embodiment to the fourth embodiment according to the present invention and the multi-input type level conversion circuit 500 shown in the fifth embodiment according to the present invention are employed.

[0085] Accordingly, the input of the liquid crystal display panel 10 can be formed with the low amplitude, the output circuits of the image signal processing circuit 60 and also the timing control circuit 70 can be constituted simply. Further, an unnecessary radiation of an electromagnetic wave can be reduced.

[0086] Further, in the embodiments according to the present invention the examples using TFT are exemplified, however, it is possible to obtain the same effects using the mono-crystallization silicon form MOS transistor. Further, the transistor according to the present invention can be obtained the same effects when the N conductive type transistor and the P conductive type transistor are reversed.

[0087] Further, according to the bias power supply of the level conversion circuit, since the drain current operation point of the input transistor and the drain current operation point of the load transistor can be formed with the high current, the high speed operation in the level conversion circuit can be attained and further the size of the transistor can be reduced.

[0088] Further, since the level conversion circuit is constituted using only the transistors, the level conversion circuit can be manufactured easily, further since the current of the load transistor is controlled according to the bias use transistor and the output voltage can be generated through the above stated current and the resistance of the input transistor, the fluctuation of the output voltage against to the fluctuation of the characteristic of the transistor can be restrained, as a result the yield on the manufacture of the level conversion circuit can be heightened.

[0089] The level conversion circuit according to the present invention is used as both of the signal circuit and the scanning circuit for driving the pixel elements of the display unit of the liquid crystal display apparatus. Of course, the level conversion circuit according to the present invention can use as one of the signal circuit and the scanning circuit. 

What is claimed is:
 1. In a liquid crystal display apparatus comprising a display unit having plural matrix form arranged pixel elements, a signal circuit for driving said plural pixel elements, and a scanning circuit, wherein said signal circuit and said scanning circuit have a level conversion circuit; said level conversion circuit has a first transistor and a second transistor in which a respective gate electrodes of said first transistor and said second transistor is connected to a first bias voltage power supply, and a first resistor and a second resistor which are connected between a respective drain electrodes of said first transistor and said second transistor and a power supply; to a respective source electrodes of said first transistor and said second transistor, pixel element drive signals having a mutually different polarity and having a low amplitude are inputted; and from said respective drain electrodes of said first transistor and said second transistor, pixel element drive signals having a mutually different polarity and having a high amplitude are outputted. 